Lopes flies the flag with superb performance
Aiden Lopes did Bermuda proud after earning a spot on the podium after two days of exciting racing at the America’s Cup Endeavour Junior Regatta on the Great Sound.
Lopes finished an impressive third among the 32-strong international O’pen Bic fleet, with three top-three finishes in the eight-race series, including a first in the fourth race.
Sebastian Kempe, son of former Royal Bermuda Yacht Club commodore Somers Kempe, was the second-highest local finisher and ninth overall.
Kempe’s finest moment of the regatta arrived in the first race, in which he finished third to give himself early momentum before falling off the pace. Genevieve Lau rounded off the top three local boats in 22nd overall.
Leonard Beyer topped the O’pen Bic leaderboard after all was said and done.
The young German was the most consistent sailor, as he managed three top-three finishes, including a pair of firsts.
Six points adrift in second was Brycec Tone, of the United States, who managed three top-three finishes during the series, where skippers were allowed to discard their worst two scores.
The O’pen Bic boats will be back in action during the half-time regatta on the opening day of the America’s Cup Match, presented by Louis Vuitton, which will also feature sailors from the America’s Cup Endeavour Programme.
Meanwhile, claiming top honours in the double-handed RS Feva fleet after two days of racing were New Zealand’s Eli Liefting and Rose Dickson.
Sweden’s Oscar Andersson and Amanda Ljunggren took second, just three points adrift of the winning boat.
Britain’s Issy Taylor-Jones and Harvey O’Sullivan rounded off the podium in third.
Bermuda’s Millie Lewis and Laura Hupman were the top local team and twelfth in the overall fleet of 16 boats.
A final RS Feva exhibition race will be held tomorrow during the second half-time regatta. The third and final class taking part in the Endeavour Junior Regattas is the Hobie Wave, which race from June 22 to 24.
The Hobie Waves will also feature in an exhibition race during the half-time regatta on June 24.
